Plus Camerimage 2012 Film Festival: Kodak Celebrates 20 Years of the Art of Cinematography

For 20 years now, the talented artists who create unforgettable images have descended upon Poland for the annual Plus Camerimage film festival — the only international event dedicated to celebrating the art of cinematography. This year’s gathering takes place November 24 through December 1, and once again Kodak will be actively involved in the revelries.

With a full line up of screenings, retrospectives, individual honors, workshops, and special events, much attention and discussion will be focused on the makers of the images this week. We look forward to enjoying screenings of the The Master, Argo, Cloud Atlas and Beasts of the Southern Wild, all shot on Kodak film, with this global audience, and discussing with attendees why film was the best format choice for these renowned productions.

Cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr. at the screening of "The Master" at Plus Camerimage 2012.

On November 28, those of you at the festival can join us as we host a conversation with cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr., who shot The Master with director Paul Thomas Anderson on 65 and 35mm formats. Hear how the script and creative decisions led to their creative approach at the Kodak Presentation at the Opera Nova, seminar room, 1st floor, on Wednesday, 28 November 15:30h. If you aren’t making the trip, look for updates on Facebook and Twitter #Camerimage.

Immediately following their discussion, we will demonstrate the latest KODAK Asset Protection Films, designed to preserve content for decades and provide a range of choices for any production’s budget. We will be joined by Deluxe 142’s Paul Collard, who will talk about his experiences in restoration and his thoughts on the importance of producing with an archiving plan in mind. Don’t let your story get lost to obsolescence. Check out our options here http://motion.kodak.com/go/archive, and let us help you preserve your work for whatever comes along as the next popular distribution format.

We also congratulate Russian DP Vadim Yusov, this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Cinematography. Known for such films as Andriei Rublev, Solaris, Ivan's Childhood, The Black Monk, and Passport, Yusov has a long, distinguished career as a cinematographer, contributing many memorable images to the international cinema scene.

Plus Camerimage has proven to be an important event for fostering the philosophy that it’s the artist – not the tool – that creates amazing imagery. Student filmmakers from all over the world can learn, listen and hopefully take away a better understanding of the art and craft that has evolved over the past 100 years, and that creativity is only limited by the imagination. Kodak is committed to fostering your vision by continuing to offer the most advanced film options for the image making tool chest that filmmakers want and need to tell their stories. We know the landscape has changed, but film offers many benefits beyond other capture formats. We are here to http://staging.motion.kodak.com/motion/WorkArea/edit.aspxlisten and answer questions, and appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your cinematographic needs.

For those of you attending, we look forward to seeing you there. For more information on Plus Camerimage, visit http://www.pluscamerimage.pl/index.php, and for more information about Kodak products and services, keep poking around this site!

Seen and Heard at Camerimage

"An international panel of filmmakers who teach cinematography unanimously agree that shooting film is a crucial learning tool: “If you think you can see what you'll get, that lack of previz results in less concentration on the image” - Larra Anderson, Northern Film School in Leeds “We all agree, shooting film teaches cinematography students important lessons about previz, imagination & discipline” - Mariusz Grzegorzek, Polish Natl Film School, Lodz

Meryam Yavoz, DP of ROAD TO LONDON re: first Olympic gymnast from Turkey, shot VISION3 500T 35mm film because it is the most reliable workflow.

If we are in the realm of data acquisition, where is the art?... When it's all captured on video, and the look is figured out in post, the DP's authorship disappears. I love film."” - Chris Soos, CSC leading a master class at Camerimage

"The more we saw the 65 mm images, the more amazed we were. Instead of the planned 35%, we ended up shooting 65% of the movie on 65 mm film. By using the large, low speed negative, not using any filters in front of the lens, and using these very sharp lenses, you get extremely high image quality – and you don’t want to ruin that with a scanner." - Mihai Malaimare Jr

"Film has a certain texture and depth because it's made up of red, green and blue layers. Digital images lie on a single plane. That's one reason why I prefer to shoot film." -- Ed Lachman, ASC, speaking on a panel hosted by the Polish Society of Cinematographers at Camerimage. Photo from the 2011 Hamptons Film Festival.